Golden Threads

Chapter 2: Dead Grandpa?

When the family was on the road again, Micheal, halfway to Papa's house, got antsy enough that he asked mom to pull over so he could ride his own bike the rest of the way.

Mallory, being the second tallest, helped him pull out the bike he fine-tuned himself so that it didn't bang against the trailer. He jokingly asked her if she wanted to ride with him. But Mallory knew they both knew that she was gonna say no. She didn't like his bike for no reason other than she didn't trust his recklessness to not crash them with her extra weight on it... hell the upgraded dirt bike barely supported his weight, she didn't wanna test it with hers as well.

Once the bike was properly checked and started up, Mallory sat in front with Lucy and gave Sam and evil grin. "My turn to control the radio now."

His eyes widened as he took in his predicament.

"Micheal! Let me ride with you!" He called from the window of the locked car.

Micheal just looked at him, smiled and gave a two finger salute before riding off - much to Sam's utter teenage despair- Lucy following behind him.

———

Mallory looked happily over the green fields as they drew closer to Papa's, the dirt road kicking up dust behind them as she waved Micheal to get next to them to avoid getting a dust bath.

Truly their grandfather lived in a lovely part of the country.

And so as they pulled into the driveway of papa Emerson's ranch house, everyone took a look around.

The yard was cluttered with random statues and wood carvings. Clothes on the line, wooden picket fences that weren't painted, a live-in trailer that looked like it mostly held working supplies, tree-charms, animal skins, a cactus garden, axes sticking out of wood here and there, and a small wind turbine.

It was organized chaos, Mallory decided, much like her own mind. And she decided she liked it.

Then they looked toward the porch and Mallory froze, her hand reaching out to grip the person closest to her, who happened to be Micheal, coming to make a joke. When she grasped him, he froze as well, immediately going serious as he followed her line of sight.

Papa Emerson was laying on the porch.

"No," Mallory whispered, low enough that only Micheal heard. "No, I didn't see this." Micheal shook her shoulder a bit in brotherly comfort before walking forward with their mother and youngest brother, the others having seen it.

Mallory stood frozen by the car. Her legs refusing to move. Stumbling forward only when she heard their mother speak.

"Dad?.......Dad?"

"It looks like he's dead." Micheal looks at the elderly man, his brow furrowed. Taking a bit of a step in front of Sam.

"No, he's just a deep sleeper." Lucy says with a smile.

Mallory coming up beside Sam just as he made a comment about returning to Phoenix if he was dead.

Mallory wacked the back of his head none too gently. When he yelped and stared at her wide-eyed, she gave him a wide eyed glare. "Seriously!?" She said without voicing the words out loud.

Sams shoulders slumped. He looked to Micheal who just shook his head.

That was when Papa moved listing his head to look right at Sammy. "Playin Dead. And from what I heard doing a damn good job of it too."

"Dad!" Lucy looked exasperate even as she went in to hug her father in greeting. "Oh dad."

Mallory's feet wavered with relief, but she managed to stay upright. Thinking to herself that she'd never heard the word "dad" be said in such a mom tone before. Going and giving her grandfather a hug after her mother and him separated.